CIB1 protects against MPTP-induced neurotoxicity through inhibiting ASK1.

Calcium and integrin binding protein 1 (CIB1) is a calcium-binding protein that was initially identified as a binding partner of platelet integrin αIIb. Although CIB1 has been shown to interact with multiple proteins, its biological function in the brain remains unclear. Here, we show that CIB1 negatively regulates degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in a mouse model of Parkinson\u27s disease using 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). Genetic deficiency of the CIB1 gene enhances MPTP-induced neurotoxicity in dopaminergic neurons in CIB1(-/-) mice. Furthermore, RNAi-mediated depletion of CIB1 in primary dopaminergic neurons potentiated 1-methyl-4-phenyl pyrinidium (MPP(+))-induced neuronal death. CIB1 physically associated with apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) and thereby inhibited the MPP(+)-induced stimulation of the ASK1-mediated signaling cascade. These findings suggest that CIB1 plays a protective role in MPTP/MPP(+)-induced neurotoxicity by blocking ASK1-mediated signaling

An Atypical Mitral Valve Prolapse in a Patient With Behçet's Disease

We report the case of a 42-year-old male who was admitted to the hospital with progressive dyspnea. Cardiomegaly and diffuse pulmonary edema were visible on chest X-ray and multiple oral and genital ulcers on physical examination. On admission, echocardiography revealed mitral valve prolapse (MVP) predominantly involving a basal portion of the posterior leaflet, with severe mitral regurgitation. A successful mitral valve replacement with St. Jude #29 was performed, after pre-treatment with prednisolone for 2 weeks. Fifteen months following the operation, the patient expired from severe pulmonary edema and secondary pneumonia. This case demonstrates, for the first time in the literature, an unusual feature of mitral prolapse in the basal portion with severe mitral regurgitation in a patient with Behçet's disease. As suggested by this case, we should consider an atypical type of MVP as a possible inflammatory involvement of the heart in patients with Behçet's disease

Development of a Numerical Tablet Model in WLAN Band for SAR Study

This research proposes a numerical model for a tablet in the wireless local area network band for specific absorption rate (SAR) study. The design criteria, such as the tablet size, operating frequencies, antenna position, and target 1-g peak spatial-average SAR (psSAR) values in the flat phantom, are determined based on the SAR test reports of tablets distributed in South Korea from 2013 to 2017. An internal antenna is designed in a tablet platform to operate in dual bands of 2,450 MHz and 5,500 MHz. The numerical results illustrate that the 1-g psSAR values of the proposed numerical tablet model are within ±10% of the target values. Moreover, the return loss of the designed tablet model is larger than 10 dB, regardless of flat phantom, while its radiation efficiency is higher than 90% in free space

Evaluation in 3 Months Duration of Neointimal Coverage After Zotarolimus-Eluting Stent Implantation by Optical Coherence Tomography The ENDEAVOR OCT Trial

ObjectivesWe performed this study to investigate the vascular response in early period after zotarolimus-eluting stent (ZES) (Endeavor Sprint, Medtronic CardioVascular, Minneapolis, Minnesota) implantation.BackgroundThe ZES has different characteristics, with biocompatible polymer and rapid drug-elution, compared with the first-generation drug-eluting stents (DES).MethodsThe ENDEAVOR OCT (Evaluation in 3 Months Duration of Neointimal Coverage after Zotarolimus-Eluting Stent Implantation by Optical Coherence Tomography) trial is a prospective, single-center study evaluating vascular healing patterns with optical coherence tomography (OCT) at 3 months after stent implantation. A total of 31 ZES in 30 patients underwent serial OCT at immediate post-intervention and 3 months. Neointimal growth and malapposition were analyzed at each stent strut of cross-sectional OCT images with 0.5-mm intervals.ResultsThe incidence of malapposition at post-intervention and 3 months was 6.0% and 0.2%, respectively. However, late acquired malapposition was not detected at 3 months. Of 31 stents, 27 stents (87.1%) were covered completely with neointima, but the remaining 4 stents had 2 (0.8%), 4 (0.9%), 4 (1.2%), and 6 (1.4%) uncovered struts. Overall mean percentage of covered stent struts was 99.9 ± 0.4%. This finding was consistent among groups with acute coronary syndrome and stable angina pectoris (99.9 ± 0.3% vs. 99.9 ± 0.4%, p = 0.92). Intracoronary thrombus was documented in 1 stent (3.2%) among 31 stents.ConclusionsMost of the stent struts were covered with neointima, and late acquired malapposition was not found at 3 months after ZES implantation. Therefore, the current study demonstrated that ZES might have a favorable in vivo vascular response at 3 months after stent implantation. (Evaluation of Zotarolimus Eluting Stent at 3 Months Using Optical Coherence Tomography [ENDEAVOR OCT]; NCT00815139